Mount Langley
Encyclopedia
Mount Langley is located on the crest of the Sierra Nevada, on the boundary between Inyo
and Tulare
counties, in eastern California
in the southwestern United States
. To the east is Owens Valley
, and to the west is the Kern River Valley
. It is the ninth highest peak in the state and the seventh highest in the Sierra. Mount Whitney
, the highest peak in the contiguous United States
, lies 4.8 miles (7.7 km) to the northwest. The National Geodetic Survey
benchmark on the summit gives an elevation of 14,042 feet, and this is the elevation shown on the Lone Pine 15" quadrangle published in 1946 and sited by many authors.
. In the early 1870s, it was confused with Mount Whitney by early climbers, and called by this name. When the mistake was realized, the peak was alternately called Mount Corcoran, Cirque Peak, or Sheep Mountain; the former two names being later attached to other mountains. But its current name became established in local usage, and was made official by the Board on Geographic Names in 1943.
to the summit. New Army Pass is 7 miles (11 km) from the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadow and is an easier but longer approach to Langley than Old Army Pass.
Due to the elevation, both passes are covered with snow most of the year. New Army Pass sits on a south-facing slope and it tends to clear of snow somewhat earlier in the season. Old Army Pass is only clear of snow for less than two months per year, from mid-August to early October. During the winter months, even the paved road to Horseshoe Meadow is closed, making the summit significantly harder to reach.
The first recorded climb of the mountain was in 1871 by Clarence King
and the French mountaineer Paul Pinson.
Inyo County, California
-National protected areas:* Death Valley National Park * Inyo National Forest * Manzanar National Historic Site-Major highways:* U.S. Route 6* U.S. Route 395* State Route 127* State Route 136* State Route 168* State Route 178...
and Tulare
Tulare County, California
Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Fresno. Sequoia National Park is located in the county, as are part of Kings Canyon National Park, in its northeast corner , and part of Mount Whitney, on its eastern border...
counties, in eastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the southwestern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. To the east is Owens Valley
Owens Valley
Owens Valley is the arid valley of the Owens River in eastern California in the United States, to the east of the Sierra Nevada and west of the White Mountains and Inyo Mountains on the west edge of the Great Basin section...
, and to the west is the Kern River Valley
Kern River
The Kern River is a river in the U.S. state of California, approximately long. It drains an area of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfield. Fed by snowmelt near Mount Whitney, the river passes through scenic canyons in the mountains and is a popular destination for...
. It is the ninth highest peak in the state and the seventh highest in the Sierra. Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . It is on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park...
, the highest peak in the contiguous United States
Contiguous United States
The contiguous United States are the 48 U.S. states on the continent of North America that are south of Canada and north of Mexico, plus the District of Columbia....
, lies 4.8 miles (7.7 km) to the northwest. The National Geodetic Survey
U.S. National Geodetic Survey
National Geodetic Survey, formerly called the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey , is a United States federal agency that defines and manages a national coordinate system, providing the foundation for transportation and communication; mapping and charting; and a large number of applications of science...
benchmark on the summit gives an elevation of 14,042 feet, and this is the elevation shown on the Lone Pine 15" quadrangle published in 1946 and sited by many authors.
History
Today, the mountain is named after Samuel Pierpont LangleySamuel Pierpont Langley
Samuel Pierpont Langley was an American astronomer, physicist, inventor of the bolometer and pioneer of aviation...
. In the early 1870s, it was confused with Mount Whitney by early climbers, and called by this name. When the mistake was realized, the peak was alternately called Mount Corcoran, Cirque Peak, or Sheep Mountain; the former two names being later attached to other mountains. But its current name became established in local usage, and was made official by the Board on Geographic Names in 1943.
Climbing
Mount Langley is one of the easiest of California's fourteeners to climb. A hiking trail starts at nearby Horseshoe Meadow, at an elevation of about 10000 feet (3,048 m), passes scenic Cottonwood Lakes, and climbs through New Army Pass. From there climbers make their way across a mountain meadow and up a long gradual slope of rock and gravel before making a scrambleScrambling
Scrambling is a method of ascending rocky faces and ridges. It is an ambiguous term that lies somewhere between hillwalking and rock climbing. It is often distinguished from hillwalking by defining a scramble as a route where hands must be used in the ascent...
to the summit. New Army Pass is 7 miles (11 km) from the trailhead at Horseshoe Meadow and is an easier but longer approach to Langley than Old Army Pass.
Due to the elevation, both passes are covered with snow most of the year. New Army Pass sits on a south-facing slope and it tends to clear of snow somewhat earlier in the season. Old Army Pass is only clear of snow for less than two months per year, from mid-August to early October. During the winter months, even the paved road to Horseshoe Meadow is closed, making the summit significantly harder to reach.
The first recorded climb of the mountain was in 1871 by Clarence King
Clarence King
Clarence R. King was an American geologist, mountaineer, and art critic. First director of the United States Geological Survey, from 1879 to 1881, King was noted for his exploration of the Sierra Nevada. He was born in Newport, Rhode Island.-Career:...
and the French mountaineer Paul Pinson.